In the post below I kept a running list of news/events/analysis related to the death of former North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, and the political rise of his son, Kim Jong-un. I believe I have been pretty thorough, but if there is something I missed, please let me know.

8. The Daily NK and IFES report prices are high but stable. According to the Daily NK:

Prices in North Korea’s jangmadang are much the same now as they were when the markets were shuttered immediately after news of Kim Jong Il’s death was made public on December 19th.

Rice, often employed as a barometer for North Korea’s overall market conditions, was trading for around 4,500 won/kg in cities along the Sino-North Korean border yesterday. Having reached a high of 5,000 won in the weeks before Kim’s death but then falling back to 4,000 won nearer the 19th, the latest price is well within the levels which might have been expected, and certainly does not suggest much fear in the market going into today’s funeral for the former dictator.

According to sources, the modest fall back to 4,500 won is just a natural result of product circulation in the market, something that is also reportedly reflected in other products.

After the death of Kim Jong Il, the shaky political situation has destabilized prices in North Korea. The price of rice is reported to have doubled recently. Immediately following the news of Kim Jong Il’s death, travel between China and North Korea and the gathering of people were strictly prohibited. In addition, markets in certain areas were temporarily closed. The price insecurity and closure of markets are adding to the dissatisfaction of the people. Merchants are selling food items secretly in black markets.

Recently in North Hamgyong Province and North Korean cities that border China, the price of one kilogram of rice has exceeded 5,000 KPW. The price of rice that sold for 4,000 KPW at the end of November has risen by 1,000 KPW in less than a month. The Chinese yuan–North Korean won exchange rate has also changed, from 700 KPW to 800 KPW in Haesan and Musan, and to 1,000 KPW in Hoeryong. With continuous escalation of prices with the stronger regulations and crackdowns being enforced, the voices of discontent seem to be growing. Rumors are quickly spreading that the price will continue to rise, adding further confusion for the people. After the failed currency reform, confidence in the North Korean currency continued to decline, leading to the soaring of the Chinese yuan, which consequently caused the price of rice to rise.

While the rice supply in the markets has remained relatively steady, the price continued to rise from the rising value of the yuan. Among the North Koreans, the yuan has become the currency of choice for trading and for private hoarding. An increasing number of people are buying rice to store.

Even the North Korean authorities are believed to be buying foreign currency, mostly USD and CNY from domestic trading companies at a higher exchange rate. Recently, North Korea is exchanging foreign currency brought in by domestic trade companies with its domestic currency at a much higher rate through the Foreign Trade Bank of Korea.

It is speculated that this is being done in effort to accumulate enough foreign currency necessary to carry out various events in 2012, including the completion of the construction of 100,000 housing units in Pyongyang.

As the confidence for the North Korean currency declines, the US dollar and Chinese yuan seem to be the preferred currency in the markets. Similarly, most trading companies are choosing to keep foreign currency for operating funds.

This is not the first time that North Korean government has attempted to obtain hard currency through its domestic trading companies and money brokers. Whenever the government took such measures to attain foreign currency, exchange rates would soar, which consequently caused prices to rise and affected the lives of its people negatively. The cause of the recent inflation is also blamed on the recent government measure to obtain more hard currency.

The DPRK government is forcing businesses and trading companies to deposit all the foreign currency earned in the trade bank. However, most companies prefer to hold on to their foreign reserves in cash to avoid complex deposit and withdrawal processes. They also seem to be using private money brokers to exchange money. Recognizing this, North Korean authorities have been cracking down on such illegal “private money exchangers” every year.

2. Yonhap reports that China and North Korea are holding a meeting over the DPRK situation this week:

South Korea and China will hold high-level talks in Seoul this week to discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula and North Korea’s nuclear program following the death of its leader Kim Jong-il, the foreign ministry here said Sunday.

The one-day annual meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, will be led by South Korean First Vice Minister Park Suk-hwan and his Chinese counterpart Zhang Zhijun, the ministry said.

This year’s meeting, the first to be held after Kim’s abrupt death last week, is expected to touch on future plans regarding the communist state and discuss how to continue diplomatic efforts to revive the six-party talks on Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program, according to officials.

The death of the secretive leader put a brake on a flurry of renewed diplomatic efforts to resume the long-stalled six-party talks, which have been dormant since the last session in late 2008. The nuclear talks involve the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the U.S.

Before Kim’s demise, North Korea had been expected to announce that it would suspend its uranium enrichment program and accept U.N. nuclear monitors in exchange for food aid. Such North Korean moves are preconditions set by the U.S. and South Korea for resuming broader six-party talks.

3. Some South Korean’s entered the DPRK on the 24th. Their visit was not reported until February 2012. According to the Donga Ilbo:

South Korea’s Unification Ministry belatedly confirmed Friday that another group visited North Korea via land route in December last year to pay condolences over the death of the North`s late leader Kim Jong Il. The government had said that it allowed just the widow of former President Kim Dae-jung and the family of the late Hyundai Group Chairman Chung Mong-hun to go to Pyongyang to pay their respects to Kim Jong Il.

The ministry said three Korean Americans — Moon Hyung-jin, international president of the Unification Church; Park Sang-kwon, CEO of Pyeonghwa Motors; and Douglas D.M. Joo, chairman of The Washington Times — crossed the inter-Korean border Dec. 24 to go to Pyongyang, which came two days prior to the visit by Kim Dae-jung’s widow and Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun.

“Since all three people had U.S. citizenship, they could always visit the North through a third country,” a Unification Ministry spokesman said. “The South Korean government cooperated with them because they wished to visit North Korea from South Korea,” adding, “Back then, we didn`t think it is necessary to announce their visit to the North via land route.”

Those wishing to visit North Korea via land route are required to get prior approval from the ministry under an inter-Korean agreement. The visit request is relayed to North Korea after approval from the U.N. Command via the South Korean Defense Ministry. If Pyongyang accepts, they can cross the border.

Pyongyang, December 23 (KCNA) — The participants in the plenary meeting of the 66th UN General Assembly on Dec. 22 mourned over the demise of Kim Jong Il, leader of the Democratic People’sRepublic of Korea.
Nassir Abdul Aziz Al-Nasser, president of the UNGA, proposed to all those present at the meeting to express condolences over the demise of Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and supreme commander of the Korean People’s Army.
The attendants paid one minute’s silent tribute to the memory of the leader.

Pyongyang, December 23 (KCNA) — U.S. Rev. Billy Graham, Rev. Franklin Graham who is president of Samaritan’s Purse, a non-governmental organization, and Robert Springs, president of Global Resource Services, a non-governmental organization, and his wife Babara Springs sent a floral basket and wreath to the DPRK permanent mission at U.N. Wednesday on the demise of leader Kim Jong Il.
Bill Richardson, former governor of New Mexico State, requested the U.S. government to express condolences over the demise of Kim Jong Il.
He in a Tuesday TV show including ABC TV said the U.S. government should express official condolences to the DPRK.
Kim Jong Un, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of Workers’ Party of Korea, made sure that special transport measures were taken and let officials in Pyongyang and local areas take charge of the supply in the field, saying the loving care of Kim Jong Il should reach the people as soon as possible even though it is a mourning period.
Officials and commercial service workers are now making sure that those fishes are supplied to every household in the city.
Salespersons and citizens burst out sobbing at fish shops in the capital city Friday.
Officials in the commercial service field in the city pledged their loyalty for Kim Jong Un, saying the history of loving care for the people continues and no people on earth are blessed with leaders and generals as the Koreans.

And for some strange reason KCNA posted two stories about fish distributions in Pyongyang:

Pyongyang Citizens Supplied with Fresh Fish

Pyongyang, December 23 (KCNA) — Fresh fish associated with leader Kim Jong Il’s deep concern began to be supplied to the Pyongyang citizens seized with grief at his demise.
Great Comrade Kim Jong Un took a special measure to transport fresh fish to Pyongyang in time and supply them to the citizens.
Both salespersons and inhabitants were deeply moved by Kim Jong Il’s deep care for the citizens.
Ku Ok Sun, a 62-year-old woman, told KCNA:
“I did not know that leader Kim Jong Il had paid deep concern to the fish supply to the Pyongyang citizens until his last days when he was staying in train. This fish makes me sorely miss him. I will get over the grief at his demise and do something to relieve respected Comrade Kim Jong Un of his heavy burdens.”
A saleswoman, Kim Ran Hui (32), said, “I am deeply moved by leader Kim Jong Il’s deep concern for the fish supply to Pyongyang citizens.”
An inhabitant, Kim Suk Yong (32), said:
“When receiving these pollacks and herrings, I was sorely missing leader Kim Jong Il. I feel my heart rent because he passed away during his uninterrupted field guidance tour for the happiness of our people. I will not give way simply to sorrow. I will never forget his deep care for our people. I will try to contribute to the building of a thriving nation, remaining faithful to respected Comrade Kim Jong Un.”

Supply of Fishes to Pyongyang Citizens Begins

Pyongyang, December 23 (KCNA) — The supply of fishes to Pyongyang citizens began Thursday at this sad time of national mourning.
Leader Kim Jong Il worked heart and soul to supply the people with fresh fishes the year round while giving tireless field guidance to fisheries bases on the eastern and western areas, commercial service centers and related units during his lifetime.
Earlier this year he made sure that pollacks and herrings were supplied to the Pyongyang citizens. At sandfish season this November he instructed officials to swiftly catch sandfish and send them to the people.
On the evening of Dec. 16, just a day before his demise, he took a step for the fish supply.

2. KCNA also uploaded a video of North Koreans crying in the Kwangbok Street Curcus Plaza. The video also showed “volunteers” sweeping the snow from the plaza. You can see the video here.

3. Uriminzokkiri uploaded three videos of Kim Jong-il to their Youtube Page. Video 1, video 2, video 3. They also uploaded nine more crying videos which I cant be bothered to add here.

4. Elufa.net, a web page hosted by the Chongryon (Chosen Soren), pro-DPRK ethnic Koreans living in Japan, has been redesigned to mourn the death of Kim Jong-il:

The defaulted bonds, which were created in 1997 when French bank BNP repackaged a series of non-performing syndicated bank loans that were granted to North Korea in the seventies, have suddenly sparked interest among speculators. The sporadically traded bonds, which trade at a deep discount to their face value, saw a tick up this week and were recently quoted at between 14 and 18 cents on the dollar, compared with 13 to 15 cents, according to London-based sales and brokerage house Exotix.

UPDATE 55 (2011-12-22):DPRK media roundup:

1. KCNA has published 24 more pages (single spaced) of Kim Jong-il stories. You can download them all here (PDF). Among the more humorous items are the return of “natural phenomenon” stories:

Even Nature Seems to Mourn Demise of Great Man
Pyongyang, December 22 (KCNA) — More natural wonders have been observed in different parts of the country since it was shocked by the sad news of the demise of leader Kim Jong Il.
On Wednesday people in the villages near the Military Demarcation Line including Sinhung, Ryongjong, Haephyong, Phungdok and Ryongsan-ris in Kaesong City observed natural wonders.
There were a series of blinding blue flashes accompanied by thunder with an interval of five minutes in the air south of the city wrapped with heavy fog from around 04:00 when heavy snow began falling down to 05:00.
This is something unusual in mid winter.
Witnessing this, citizens of the city said that the demise of Kim Jong Il was so heart-rending that even the sky seemed to writhe in grief. He was, indeed, a great saint born of Heaven, they added.

There was a similar story yesterday (2011-12-21):

Natural Wonders Observed
Pyongyang, December 21 (KCNA) — Peculiar natural wonders were observed on Mt. Paektu, Jong Il Peak and Tonghung Hill in Hamhung City where the statue of President Kim Il Sung is standing at a time when all Korean people are mourning the demise of leader Kim Jong Il in bitterest sorrow.
On the morning of Dec. 17 layers of ice were broken on Lake Chon on Mt. Paektu, shaking the lake with big noise.
The Group for Comprehensive Exploration of Lake Chon on Mt. Paektu said it was the first time that such big noise was heard from the ridge of Janggun Peak and the lake.
The temperature on Mt. Paektu that day registered 22.4 degrees centigrade below zero and there was strong wind accompanied by snowstorm measuring 18 meters per second.
The snowstorm stopped blowing all of a sudden from dawn of Tuesday and heavy clouds were seen hanging around Hyangdo Peak.
At around 8:05 a.m. the sky began turning red with sunrise on the horizon. The peaks looked like a picture for wide and thick glow.
Kim Jong Il’s autographic writings “Mt. Paektu, holy mountain of revolution. Kim Jong Il.” carved on the mountain, in particular, were bright with glow.
This phenomenon lasted till 5:00 pm.
Glow was seen atop Jong Il Peak for half an hour from 16:50 on Dec. 19 when the nation was shocked by the news of the leader’s demise. This was the first of its kind in dozens of years since the observation of the area was started.
A natural wonder was also observed around the statue of the President standing on Tonghung Hill.
At around 21:20 Tuesday a Manchurian crane was seen flying round the statue three times before alighting on a tree. The crane stayed there for quite a long while with its head drooped and flew in the direction of Pyongyang at around 22:00.
Observing this, the director of the Management Office for the Hamhung Revolutionary Site, and others said in union that even the crane seemed to mourn the demise of Kim Jong Il born of Heaven after flying down there at dead of cold night, unable to forget him.”

2. Nicholas Eberstadt writes a summary of Kim Jong-il’s political career in the Los Angeles Times.

3. Barbara Demick , writing in the Los Angeles Times, interviews North Korean defectors who discuss the public mourning process in the DPRK.

4. This Korea Herald article speaks with representatives of PSCORE, Choson Exchange, the Fuller Center, and Tim Peters, and Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights.

5. This Reuters article, citing a super-secret source, has been picked up by other news agencies. Quoting from the article:

North Korea will shift to collective rule from a strongman dictatorship after last week’s death of Kim Jong-il, although his untested young son will be at the head of the ruling coterie, a source with close ties to Pyongyang and Beijing said.

The source added that the military, which is trying to develop a nuclear arsenal, has pledged allegiance to the untested Kim Jong-un, who takes over the family dynasty that has ruled North Korea since it was founded after World War Two.

The source declined to be identified but has correctly predicted events in the past, telling Reuters about the North’s first nuclear test in 2006 before it took place.

This clam is similar to analysis provided by the South Korean NIS (see update 47 below)

2. The Daily NK also reports that soem limited unofficial trading is being tolerated–at least in the distant Ryanggang province. According to the article:

The North Korean authorities have apparently decided to allow a limited number of ‘grasshopper traders’, people who sells their goods without a stall in the streets around official markets and other busy locations, to operate in the aftermath of the death of Kim Jong Il.

The authorities closed the official markets immediately following Monday’s announcement, chasing away all the grasshoppers in the process.

However, the closure of the market would have been a huge blow for the public, given that it has been the main source of most people’s food and daily essentials in modern-day North Korea for more than ten years. As such, the toleration of grasshoppers is very welcome.

A source from Yangkang Province told The Daily NK on Wednesday, “There was no official order to go out and trade, but they aren’t cracking down on those people working in front of the train station or in alleyways, either.” According to the source, the grasshopper traders are selling small amounts of food and cigarettes.

Prices are high, though, the source explained, saying, “There are lots of people who want to buy, but because the number of sellers is so limited the prices have jumped even higher than before. The price for 1kg of rice is 4,800 to 5,000 won and packs of ‘Gohyang’ cigarettes are selling for 4,500 won.”

While rice prices had reached 5,000 won/kg in places a week or so prior to Kim’s death, they had begun to fall again; just before the death of Kim Jong Il was announced, local rice was around 4,000 won/kg and 3,000 won bought a packet of cigarettes. However, the death has seen both spike significantly.

The previous alternative following the closure of the markets had been to live day to day on necessities bought from unsanctioned, small-scale sales locations known as ‘village stalls’.

These locations are similar in scale to a convenience store and, like a convenience store, they trade on convenience at high prices. Based in private homes, they only advertize themselves in very furtive ways but local residents all know where they are and can buy what they need in an emergency, such as when the authorities close the markets. Ordinarily, they only serve those elderly, infirm or incapable of travelling to cheaper, but more distant, official markets.

One source said of the village stalls, “People have always gone to them under the cover of darkness to buy necessities whenever the state has done things like shut down the official market or intensify inspections.”

According to one source, however, village stallholders were and are being extremely careful because they fear having their goods confiscated and then being punished after the mourning period is over. As a result, they are only selling to people they know.

Update 52 (2011-21-21):South Korea.The DPRK has expressed an interest in pushing forward with the Manwoldae restoration project (Yonhap). See background here and here. Yonhap also reported that South Korean President Lee Myung-bak expressed his hopes that North Korea will overcome the death of Kim Jong-il so that peace will be maintained. See the article here. See previous South Korean responses below in Update 47 and 36.

UPDATE 51 (2011-12-21):DPRK media wrap up for the day (Part1 in update 44 below):

UPDATE 48 (2011-12-21): Some time ago, I posted Kim Jong-ils only public address to YouTube. This is the only time most North Koreans ever heard his voice. You can see it here.

UPDATE 47 (2011-12-21): Seoul’s intelligence service makes a public prediction about the succession (Yonhap):

A caretaker leadership led by a Workers’ Party commission under the control of the chosen son of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is expected to handle pressing issues in the communist nation until the successor takes full control, South Korea’s main spy agency has forecast.

The National Intelligence Service made the forecast in a report to parliament Tuesday, saying Pyongyang is expected to focus on a smooth power transition to Kim’s youngest son, Kim Jong-un, according to participants.

UPDATE 40 (2011-12-20): KCNA publishes official statistics on the number of mourners:

At Least Five Million Pyongyangites Mourn Demise of Kim Jong Il

Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) — From noon on Dec. 19 when the sad news of leader Kim Jong Il’s demise was reported to the noon next day a total of more than five million citizens of Pyongyang visited the statues and portraits of the peerlessly great persons and mosaics depicting them and other places to mourn his demise.

The number of mourners thronging to Mansu Hill increased as time went by. Around 3 p.m. they packed not only the ground before the statue of the President but the road stretching to it from the construction site.

The mourners’ number reached 450 000 at dawn on Tuesday and it went beyond 800 000 at noon.

They were grieving over his demise in bitter sorrow. Among them were those who could not stand to their feet.

Countless women, young and old, were in their mourning clothes with white ribbons on their heads.

UPDATE 38 (2011-12-20): According to the Korea Herald, workers at the Kaesong Industrial Zone left work early on Monday:

North Korean workers at the factories in Gaeseong went home early at 3 p.m. Monday upon the North’s request, but are to come to work as usual Tuesday, Seoul’s Unification Ministry spokesperson Choi Boh-seon said, citing a North Korean official.

The ministry on Monday banned South Koreans’ visits to the North, with the exception of the industrial complex.

South Korean staff returning home from Gaeseong on Monday afternoon said the North Korean employees were greatly shocked at the news of Kim’s death.

Most North Korean workers gathered around 2 p.m. to mourn his death and went home early, according to a South Korean employee.

“We are preparing to run the factory as usual tomorrow, but we don’t know for certain whether there might be some impediment in production,” an official of a company operating in Gaeseong said.

Kim Ki-mun, chief of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business, said companies in Gaeseong were expected to do business normally, although there is the possibility of tighter control on entrance to the complex.

“I don’t think there will be a major commotion in the Gaeseong industrial park,” said Kim, who is also the chief executive of Romanson, a South Korean watchmaker that runs a factory in Gaeseong.

“Our companies were not seriously hurt when there was major news in North Korea in the past such as the nuclear tests.”

Kim had visited the Gaeseong complex last month with 14 vice chairmen of the federation.

Companies in Gaeseong called on Kim to take steps to ease their shortage of funds and manpower, prompting him to deliver their requests to South Korean government officials, according to Kim.

“The federation will keep watching the situation and do our best to assist the companies,” he said.

An official of a company that entered the complex five years ago said if the North Korean regime’s instability intensifies, it could deal a blow to the South Korean firms in Gaeseong in the short-term.

Another story in the Donga Ilbo assters that it was pretty much business as usual on Monday:

“We were surprised to see the response among North Korean workers, who were unexpectedly calm.”

This is what the head of a company operating a plant at the Kaesong industrial complex in North Korea said after hearing news of the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il from a staff member who entered the North from South Korea at 5 p.m. Monday. According to the heads of multiple companies, North Korean workers learned belatedly of Kim`s death at 1 p.m. the same day given the lack of TVs installed in their production lines.

According to the company head, North Korean workers were considerably shocked to hear of Kim`s death but continued their daytime shift until the end of the business day. Workers gathered in groups of three or four and held chats with a serious look during breaks, but did not cry or show marked signs of indignation.

A company source said, “We don`t know if the response was taken due to the special education of senior workers or other reasons, but our workers weren`t agitated and didn`t push up the close of business.”

The head of another company with a plant at the Kaesong complex, upon entering South Korea, also said, “I heard no news about Kim Jong Il`s death at the Kaesong industrial complex at all or saw any signs or moves that looked extraordinary,” adding, “I was totally shocked to hear related news after returning to South Korea.”

The companies, however, instructed staff from the South to use “caution in speech and action” to not provoke North Korean workers, who could get mentally agitated. The head of another company in the complex said, “I stressed that South Korean workers should avoid making inadvertent remarks such as `Kim Jong Il died,` and anger North Korean workers,” adding, “I`ll check the real situation in the North by calling in our staff who are entering the South this evening.”

Apart from this, the association of companies operating in the complex held a meeting of senior staff presided over by association chief Bae Hae-dong at its Seoul office around 5 p.m. Monday. If North Korean authorities request that they stop operations through the day of Kim`s funeral on Dec. 28 to allow workers to attend memorial events, the companies will approve.

Companies in the complex and experts also predicted no major change any time soon at the facility after Kim`s death. Yang Mu-jin, a professor of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said, “Since the structure for the power transfer to Kim Jong Un has been consolidated over the past year, chances of a civilian revolution or military coup are slim,” adding, “Kim`s death will have a limited impact over the short term.”

The head of another company operating in Kaesong said, “The Kaesong industrial complex didn`t stop operations even when North Korea conducted nuclear tests,” in expressing cautious optimism.

UPDATE 36 (2011-12-20): We now have an official South Korean reaction to Kim’s Death. According to Yonhap:

South Korea expressed sympathy to the people of North Korea over the death of leader Kim Jong-il, but decided not to send an official condolence delegation to the communist nation, an official said Tuesday.

The government will, however, allow the families of late South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and late Hyundai Group chairman Chung Mong-hun to pay condolence visits to the North because Pyongyang sent delegations to Seoul when Kim and Chung died, Unification Minister Yu Woo-ik said.

“Regarding the death of Chairman Kim Jong-il, the government conveys sympathy to the people of North Korea,” Yu said while briefing reporters on the outcome of a security ministers’ meeting that President Lee Myung-bak presided over to discuss the aftermath of Kim’s death.

The expression of sympathy to the people of the North was a carefully chosen phrase aimed at reconciling conflicting demands from conservatives and liberals in South Korea over whether to offer condolences over the death of the leader of a nation South Korea is still technically at war with.

The wording is aimed at separating the North’s leadership and its hunger-stricken population.

The government does not want to anger either side at a time when general elections are just months away.

The government will allow the families of late President Kim and late Hyundai chief Chung to visit the North for reciprocal condolence calls.

Kim held the first-ever inter-Korean summit with the late North Korean leader in 2000, and Chung pushed aggressively for joint economic projects with the impoverished North. Pyongyang sent condolence delegations to Seoul when Kim died in 2009 and Chung died in 2003.

Yu said that South Korea has been working closely with friends and allies to make sure that “peace on the Korean Peninsula is not shaken.” The South’s military is maintaining high vigilance and is prepared for all kinds of situations, he said.

“So far, no unusual signs whatsoever have been detected in North Korea,” he said.

Later Tuesday, the defense ministry said religious groups accepted the government’s request to keep the towers dark this year. A ministry official said Yoido Full Gospel Church and the Military Evangelical Association of Korea, which had organized the lighting ceremony, agreed not to light the Christmas towers, after the ministry verbally notified them of the government’s stance. The ministry will send a written request later Tuesday or early Wednesday, the official added.

However, Yonhap also reports that the South’s intelligence chief has publicly questioned the official North Korean narrative of Kim Jong-il’s death:

The head of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) on Tuesday expressed cautious doubts over the time and location of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s death, parliamentary officials said, raising questions over whether the communist North tried to beautify Kim’s death.

North Korea previously said Kim died early Saturday while on a train in motion during a field guidance tour.

Attending a special session of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee, NIS chief Won Sei-hoon said a special train used by the late North Korean leader was spotted stationary at Pyongyang’s train station at the time of his death announced by the North, according to the parliamentary officials.

“There were no signs the train ever moved,” he was quoted as telling the parliamentary committee.

The time and place of Kim’s death may be very sensitive to North Korea’s remaining leadership, which is apparently trying to ensure successful succession of power to Kim’s youngest son Jong-un on the late leader’s legacy.

The North’s Korean Central News Agency reported Tuesday that North Korean people, “young and old, men and women, are calling Kim Jong-il, who gave tireless field guidance, making total dedication day and night to the happiness of the people.”

The NIS chief pointed out that there had been no public appearances made by the late Kim since Friday.

He refused to comment, however, on what a ruling party legislator on the parliamentary committee called a rumor about Kim’s death at his official residence in Pyongyang, saying it was a report that has yet to be confirmed.

UPDATE 34 (2011-12-20): In Updates 21 and 32 below, we see several places where North Koreans are going to make a public show of their grief. KCNA has released photos which show two additional locations (Kim Il-sung Square and the April 25 House of Culture) which have been transformed into public grieving sites. At these gathering spots, large Kim Jong-il photos have been hung on the buildings:

A later KCNA story reveals the locations in which portraits have been hung in this manner:

Portraits of Smiling Kim Jong Il Displayed in Various Parts of Pyongyang

Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) — Portraits of smiling leader Kim Jong Il were displayed at Kim Il Sung Square, the plaza of the April 25 House of Culture, the Party Founding Memorial Tower, the plaza of the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium and other places of Pyongyang Tuesday.

They were crowded with an endless stream of people carrying with them wreaths, bouquets and flowers prepared with sincerity. Roads leading to those places and residential areas contiguous to them became crowded with mourners in a minute.

These places turned into a veritable sea of mourners who bitterly wept, looking up to portraits of smiling Kim Jong Il.

Similar portraits were also displayed on the front walls of the Pyongyang Circus Theater and the Hana Music Information Center.

Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) — A solemn ceremony took place in Pyongyang Tuesday to mourn before the bier of Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and supreme commander of the Korean People’s Army at a time when the whole country is in the bitter sorrow at the unexpected sad news of his demise.

Kim Jong Un, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK, together with senior officials of the party, state and armed forces organs, visited the bier of Kim Jong Il to express deep condolences with the bitterest grief.

The Kumsusan Memorial Palace, the mourning place, was in a solemn atmosphere.

The bier of Kim Jong Il was seen lying among flowers, covered by the red flag.

Marked on the front of the bier were the years of “1942-2011″ as well as the national emblem of the DPRK.

Seen before the bier were shoulder straps of the DPRK Marshal, Kim Il Sung Order, Kim Il Sung Prize, medals of the DPRK hero and labor hero and lots of other orders and medals the army and people of the DPRK presented to him in recognition of his great feats.

Seen beside the bier was a wreath from Kim Jong Un, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK.

Members of the National Funeral Committee were standing guard by the side of the bier and guards of honor of the three services of the Korean People’s Army and the Worker-Peasant Red Guards were standing on either side of the bier.

Amid the solemn playing of funeral music, Kim Jong Un entered the hall where Kim Jong Il lies in state.

Kim Jong Un observed a moment’s silence in the bitterest grief together with leading officials of the party, state and armed forces organs before going round the bier.

The participants remained long before the bier, wailing over the sudden and grievous death of Kim Jong Il, outstanding leader of the party, state and army, peerlessly illustrious commander of Songun and benevolent father of the people.

UPDATE 32 (2011-12-20): KCNA has posted two more videos of employees at the Kwangbok Supermerket (Kim Jong-il’s final official guidance destination) and the 4.25 Palace of Culture wailing and crying. See the videos here and here. Other similar videos can be found below in “Update 21″. Despite all the crying captured on film, the KCNA reporters, photographers and producers seem utterly unaffected. How professional of them.

UPDATE 30 (2011-12-20): Martyn Williams has posted the latest issue of Rodong Sinmun on KJIs demise. See it here.

UPDATE 29: Apparently emails to the North Korean embassies are getting through!

UPDATE 28: The DPRK appears to have close off communication with the outside world. According to the Los Angeles Times:

An official at the Seoul embassy of a nation with a mission in Pyongyang said it was impossible to reach colleagues there Monday, suggesting that the regime had tried to block links with the outside world.

“There hasn’t been anything coming out of Pyongyang,” said the official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. “It’s not surprising the land lines and other communication is overloaded or shut down.”

In South Korea, defector groups were also unsuccessful in reaching contacts north of the demilitarized zone. “The North is refusing to accept any foreign guests because the world is watching and will try to analyze the regime’s next move by what kinds of guests come to pay respects,” said Sohn Jung-hoon, director of the North Korean Defectors’ Vision Network.

BEIJING, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) — China on Monday sent condolences to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) over the death of DPRK top leader Kim Jong Il.

“We are shocked to learn that general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), chairman of the DPRK National Defense Commission and supreme commander of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) comrade Kim Jong Il passed away and we hereby express our deep condolences on his demise and send sincere regards to the DPRK people,” said the condolence message.

The late DPRK leader passed away from a great mental and physical strain at 08:30 on Dec.17 (2330 GMT Friday), on a train during a field guidance tour, the DPRK’s official KCNA news agency reported Monday.

The condolence message, sent by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission to the DPRK’s WPK Central Committee and its Central Military Commission, DPRK National Defense Commission, Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly and the DPRK Cabinet, called Kim Jong Il a great leader of the DPRK people and a close friend of the Chinese people.

The message said comrade Kim Jong Il had dedicated the whole of his life and rendered immortal service to the DPRK’s socialist revolution and construction.

It noted that the late DPRK leader, a close friend of the Chinese people, had carried on and further developed the traditional friendship between China and DPRK. The Chinese government and people were deeply saddened by the demise of Kim Jong Il, who will be remembered forever by the Chinese people.

The Chinese side believed that the DPRK will remain united as one with the leadership of the WPK and comrade Kim Jong Un, and turn their sorrow into strength, continuously advance towards the goal of building a strong and prosperous socialist nation and achieving sustained peace on the Korean Peninsula.

China and the DPRK are close neighbors and stand together in good or bad times. The CPC and the Chinese government have always adhered to the policy of continuously consolidating and developing their traditional friendship with the DPRK, said the condolence message.

The message added that the traditional party-to-party, state-to-state and people-to-people friendship between the two countries will be carried on and further developed.

UPDATE 25: The DPRK border was closed before the announcement. According to the Daily NK:

North Korean border guard units received orders at 1AM on the night of the 18th to close the border with China with immediate effect.

An inside military source told Daily NK this morning, “At 1AM on the night of the 18th a ‘Special Guard’ order was handed down to the unit. All officers who had finished work were recalled to the base and have been on emergency duty ever since.”

“At the time even commanding officers did not know about the contents of the order, and as per the order to completely close the border, normal patrols in groups of two were stepped up to groups of four. We only learned that the General had died from special broadcasts,” the source added.

Thus, it is clear that the North Korean authorities took steps to avert civilian unrest and potential mass defection attempts by shutting down the border and reinforcing patrols prior to announcing Kim’s death.

The Daily NK also reported on procedures the party took to carry out the public mourning of Kim Jong-il:

Ever since the North Korean authorities broke the news of Kim Jong Il’s death, they have been working through Party and administrative organs to establish an atmosphere of mourning.

Workplaces and local government offices have, without exception, organized meetings to set in place the appropriate atmosphere. People’s Units have been emphasizing the ‘Last Instructions of Kim Jong Il’, and groups from schools and workplaces have been visiting statues of Kim Il Sung other major memorials to pay their respects.

One Yangkang Province source commented to Daily NK late this afternoon that the streets of Hyesan were packed with people heading to a local monument to pay their respects, while not a single person was anywhere to be found near the market.

There was an emergency summons issued at 2PM which required workers to return to their assigned workplaces, while People’s Unit meetings were held at local government offices, he said.

According to the source, “In the People’s Unit meeting, they talked about the diary for the period of mourning and so on, stating, ‘Follow comrade General Kim Jong Eun to turn sadness to strength and bravery and complete the work of comrade Kim Jong Il’.”

“People in the People’s Unit meeting cried and wailed, and then from 5PM elementary school students, upper middle schoolers and the people downtown are all attending a mourning event.”

UPDATE 24: Although I added it below, this afternoon Uriminzokkiri finally posted video of mourning North Koreans which was filmed outside of Pyongyang (Hamhung, Chongjin, Wonsan, Kaesong). You can see the video here.

UPDATE 23: Here is some context, description, and predictions by prominent analysts:

North Korea conducted at least one short-range missile test Monday, the same day it announced the death of leader Kim Jong Il, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.

Two South Korean military officials said they couldn’t immediately confirm the report, saying to do so would breach a policy of not commenting on intelligence matters.

Both said any firing would be part of a routine drill and have little relation to Kim Jong Il’s death. They both spoke on condition of anonymity, citing policy.

UPDATE 16: KCNA has published some additional information in English:

Notice of National Funeral Committee

Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) — The National Funeral Committee released a following notice on Saturday:

It notifies that it decided as follows so that the whole party, army and people can express the most profound regret at the demise of leader Kim Jong Il and mourn him in deep reverence:

His bier will be placed at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace.

Mourning period will be set from Dec. 17 to 29, Juche 100 (2011) and mourners will be received from Dec. 20 to 27.

A farewell-bidding ceremony will be solemnly held in Pyongyang on Dec. 28.

A national memorial service for Kim Jong Il will be held on Dec. 29.

Mourning guns will be boomed in Pyongyang and in provincial seats timed to coincide with the national memorial service in Pyongyang and all the people will observe three minutes’ silence and all locomotives and vessels will blow sirens all at once.

All institutions and enterprises across the country will hold mourning events during the mourning period and all provinces, cities and counties will hold memorial services timed to coincide with the national memorial service in Pyongyang.

The institutions and enterprises will hoist flags at half-mast and musical and all other entertainments will be refrained.

Foreign mourning delegations will not be received.

UPDATE 15:Yonhap offers a translation/summary of a KCNA story (조선의 군대와 인민들 김정은동지의 령도를 받들것을 맹세) not yet published in English:

SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Yonhap) — The North Korean military and people have pledged to follow the leadership of the late leader’s heir apparent Kim Jong-un to carry on the legacy of the communist state, its state media said Monday, amid growing uncertainty over the power transition.

The North’s state media reported earlier in the day that 69-year-old Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack two days earlier. Following that announcement, regional powers are paying close attention to whether Kim’s youngest son and heir apparent Jong-un, aged in his late 20s, would successfully take the helm of the impoverished communist state.

“Ten million (North Korean) soldiers and the people are in indescribable grief, after receiving the sad news that comrade Kim Jong-il has died,” the North’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. “At this point, faithful belief, optimism and a determined pledge for victory are taking firm root in people’s hearts.”

The report came hours after Pyongyang urged North Korean soldiers and citizens to remain loyal to the guidance of the new leader and turn “sorrow into strength and courage to overcome the present difficulties and work harder for a fresh great victory.”

Following on from news of the closure of North Korea’s border with China, Daily NK has learned that armed soldiers have been deployed en masse to the center of the city of Musan.

A source from the border city in North Hamkyung Province told Daily NK this lunchtime, “Troops were mobilized from 9AM this morning and they chased out all the grasshopper traders from the alleyways around the market here. The people, who didn’t know the reason for it, all withdrew to watch and wait.”

Grasshopper traders are those traders who operate in the alleyways outside officially sanctioned markets in North Korea. As reported earlier this afternoon by Daily NK, official markets have been shuttered by the North Korean authorities.

“Now there are armed troops standing guard at four meter intervals downtown, and every available National Security Agency and People’s Safety Ministry agent is out there on guard duty,” the source added.

According to the source, a number of long sirens rang out immediately after the news of Kim Jong Il’s death was reported by state media, and it was after this that troops and the security forces emerged onto the streets and ordered everyone to return to their homes.

“Not even children are allowed to go out,” the source said.

UPDATE 13: Uriminzokkiri is still uploading videos to YouTube as they do every day…business as usual. The Korean Friendship Association web page was down, but seems to be back up. Neither organization has posted any information on the death of the Great Leader.

North Korea has announced that it has entered a period of formal mourning following the death of Kim Jong Il lasting from the 17th, the day of his passing, until the 29th.

The news was released in a brief communiqué in the name of the ‘State Funeral Committee’,

Chosun Central News Agency announced the news, stating, “The body of National Defense Commission Chairman Kim will lie in state at Kumsusan Memorial Palace during the period of mourning from the 17th to the 29th. Visitors will be received between the 20th and 27th. The ceremony for his parting will be performed on the 28th in Pyongyang.”

“Central memorial meetings to honor Chairman Kim will open on the 29th,” it went on. “At that time in Pyongyang and sites in every province there will be an artillery salute and 3 minutes silence, and all official vehicles and vessels will sound their horns.”

The Daily NK is also first (as far as I can tell) to relay unofficial information from within the DPRK:

Following the official announcement of Kim Jong Il’s death today, North Korea has imposed rigid social controls, including the complete closure of markets.

An inside source told Daily NK this lunchtime, “The jangmadang is closed and people are not allowed to go outside. Local Party secretaries are issuing special commands through local Union of Democratic Women unit chairwomen, and the chairwomen have been gathered at district offices for emergency meetings.”

According to the source, National Security Agency and People’s Safety Ministry agents have been deployed in streets and alleyways to control civilian movements. There have not been any signs of public unrest to date.

Kim Jong Il’s sudden death has apparently caught people off-guard, the source revealed, commenting, “Nobody had the slightest idea about the General’s death even right before they saw the broadcast. You can hear the sound of wailing outside.”

UPDATE 11: (via Luke) The day that Kim Jong-il’s death was announced (Dec 19th) is South Korean President Lee Myun-bak’s birthday!

UPDATE 10: Michael Madden has posted a family tree, residency photos, as well as some other infomation on Kim Jong-il. See it all here.

UPDATE 9: Peter Beck is on CNN. Funeral will be on December 28. Foreign delegations are not invited to the funeral.

UPDATE 8: The Korean version of the KCNA web page contains several additional stories that are not on the English version (Thanks, Luke).

The North Korean regime on Monday issued a list of 232 people who make up the funeral committee for dead leader Kim Jong-il. Experts believe the order more or less matches their rank in the pecking order.

Kim’s son and designated heir Jong-un is at the top of the list.

Kim Keun-sik, a North Korean expert at Kyungnam University, said, “The list is in the order of members of the standing committee of the Politburo, then members and candidate members. It shows that the party will be stronger power than the military,” because Kim Jong-il’s brother-in-law Jang Song-taek or O Kuk-ryol, the vice chairman of the National Defense Commission, are listed further down.”

One reason could be that Kim Jong-un is not yet a member of the commission, unlike his father, who ruled the country through it.

Kim Jong-un’s aunt Kim Kyong-hui and her husband Jang Song-taek are in 14th and 19th in the list, even though Jang was widely believed to be the eminence grise behind Kim Jong-il. Kim’s exiled eldest son Jong-nam is not listed, nor are his middle son Jong-chol and virtually exiled half-brother Pyong-il, the perpetual North Korean Ambassador to Poland.

One expert on North Korea said, “It’s natural for their names to be excluded from the funeral committee as it is mostly filled with people with official titles.”

UPDATE 7: KCNA has published a memorial photo:

UPDATE 6: South Korean stock market down 3.34% on the same day (CNN). Stocks in military equipment manufacturers are up. Rating agencies keeping a close eye on the situation. According to Yonhap:

Global rating agencies said Monday that the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il would not immediately affect ratings assigned to South Korea despite increased market uncertainties and geopolitical risks.

According to Seoul’s finance ministry, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s Investor Service and Fitch Ratings said they would not adjust ratings on South Korea given its strong economic fundamentals and the soundness of the financial sector.

Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) — Leader Kim Jong Il had received medical treatment for his cardiac and cerebrovascular diseases for a long period.

He suffered an advanced acute myocardial infarction, complicated with a serious heart shock, on train on December 17, Juche 100 (2011) for a great mental and physical strain caused by his uninterrupted field guidance tour for the building of a thriving nation.

Every possible first-aid measure was taken immediately but he passed away at 08:30 on December 17.

An autopsy on December 18 fully confirmed the diagnosis of his diseases.

Kim Jong Il Passes Away (Urgent)

Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) — Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and supreme commander of the Korean People’s Army, passed away from a great mental and physical strain at 08:30 December 17, 2011, on train during a field guidance tour.

The WPK Central Committee and Central Military Commission, DPRK National Defence Commission, Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly and Cabinet released a notice on Saturday informing the WPK members, servicepersons and all other people of his passing away.

And just to be a little nerdy, here is a graph of KJI’s 2011 public appearances grouped by month:

Kim Jong-il’s last public appearance was at the Hana Music Information Center (a joint venture with Phoenix Commerical Ventures) and a remodeled Kwangbok Department Store which was reported on Dec 15. See a satellite image of the Hana building here and the Kwangbok Supermarket here.

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Simon

great blogging Curtis, thanks for keeping us all updated, great work late into the night!

mike

am i the only one who thinks he died a while ago and they were waiting till an appropriate time to announce this?

http://www.facebook.com/PremiumDiamondDiscounts Randall Hitt

He died two days before the announcement, and they pointed that out in the announcement.

I would reckon that whatever power struggle is predicted already occurred during the day in between, and General Kim Jong Eun emerged ahead.

Gary

Thanks for the updates. this is always the blog to visit for N.K. updates.

Thanks for the continuous updates! Here is a pdf version of Rodong Sinmun’s Tuesday edition dedicated to the death of Kim Jong-Il: http://whereintheworldisbobby.com/northkorea/?p=848
A portion of the front page article mentioning Kim Jong-Eun is translated.

http://runbarefootrunhealthy.com/ AM

Wow. So much crying! Did somebody’s kid not get into Harvard?

Simon

Unless something has changed in the last few hours then there hasn’t been a shut down of communications with all Embassies in Pyongyang, communication with embassies there by email has been working. Maybe the phone system, was down though, by design or overloaded even?